Richard "RJ" James Holland

Service for Richard James Holland will be 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Inola Baptist Church, Inola, Oklahoma, burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Friends may visit at the Inola Funeral Home on Friday, March 14, from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., with family receiving visitors from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Richard passed away on March 10, 2025. He was 81.

Richard J. Holland was born on November 30, 1943, in Union City, Pennsylvania, to Pierson H. and Minta A. (Clark) Holland and graduated from James A. Garfield High School in Garrettsville, Ohio, in 1961, where he showcased his athleticism as a player on both the basketball and baseball teams. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Ohio Northern University in 1965.

Richard proudly served his country in the United States Air Force, enlisting in 1966. He served as squadron navigator on C130A aircraft at various bases, including Naha Air Force Base in Okinawa, Cam Ranh Bay Air Force Base in South Vietnam, and Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand. His missions included the secretive “Blind Bat” and the highly classified “Frantic Goat,” involving the USS Pueblo incident. His dedication and skill earned him numerous awards and eventually a promotion to Instructor Navigator and the rank of Captain before his honorable discharge in 1971.

Following his military service, Richard embarked on a successful career in the insurance and technology sectors. He began as an inside underwriter at Motorist Mutual Insurance Company, then became an underwriting manager with Financial Indemnity Insurance in Columbus, Ohio. It was during this pivotal time that he met Carol Sell and entered the field of computer programming. They were married on May 29, 1976, and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where their two sons were born. In 1988, the family relocated to Inola, Oklahoma, where Richard was hired as a computer programmer analyst with American Airlines. He founded his own computer consulting company in 1999 and concluded his career as a programming consultant for the Defense Information Systems Agency at Tinker Air Force Base, retiring in December 2024.

Richard was a man of deep faith, having accepted Christ on December 1, 1974. He was baptized at Royal Palms Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona, and his faith remained a cornerstone of his life. He cherished his family deeply and found joy in spending time with them. Richard loved fishing and enjoyed playing golf whenever time permitted.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Carol Holland of Inola; his sons, Travis James (Stacey) Holland of Eagleville, Tennessee, and Tyler Bradley (Sarah) Holland of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Richard was a proud grandfather to Presley and Cooper Holland. He is also survived by his brother, Paul (Judy) Holland of Inman, South Carolina, and their children, Brenda (Todd) Houmard, Debbie (Chris) Erskine, Mike (Karen) Holland; mother-in-law, Eva Sell; brother-in-law, Bill (Margie) Sell of Celina, Ohio, and their children, Erika Draiss, and Dillon, Andy, and Trevor Sell.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Pierson and Minta Holland.

Richard was known by various nicknames: Dick Holland, Uncle Dick, UD, RJ, and Pop, the one he cherished most.

Richard James Holland’s legacy will continue to live on through the many lives he touched with his kindness, faith, and unwavering love for his family. He will be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.